Stunning golden girl wows Australia

Former Test star Kerry O'Keeffe has previously said Ellyse Perry has the best batting technique in Australian cricket - and the golden girl showed once again how talented she is with a stunning century in the WBBL last night.

As the men's team suffered its own batting woes against India on day two of the first Test, Perry showed her male counterparts how it's done with a superb 102 not out to lead the Sydney Sixers to a six-wicket win over the Perth Scorchers.

The 28-year-old batted in the lower order for Australia at the recent World T20 - which saw the Southern Stars defeat England in the final - because her strike rate wasn't deemed good enough to warrant a berth at the top of the batting line-up. But Perry showed she can turn the fireworks on when given the opportunity.

Opening the batting for the Sixers alongside Aussie teammate Alyssa Healy, who was named player of the tournament at the World T20, Perry stole the limelight. Chasing 168 for victory, the Sixers lost Healy in the second over for just two, but it was only a minor speed bump.

Captaining the side, Perry took all the responsibility on herself to ensure Sydney bounced back from a shock opening round loss to the Melbourne Stars. She crashed two sixes and 14 fours as she piled on her century off just 59 balls, scoring at a strike rate of 172.88.

Perry thumped her final boundary to bring up triple figures and secure the win on the same ball in the 19th over.

She put on 86 runs with Ash Gardner (26) for the second wicket but comfortably outscored her partner during the crucial stand. There were a couple of nervous moments when Gardner and Erin Burns fell without a run being added to the tally and the women in magenta found themselves at 3/88 in the 11th over.

It was going to go down to the wire, and the tension only rose when Sara McGlashan was caught behind for three, reducing the Sixers to 4/101.

But as long as Perry was at the crease there was no need to panic. She continued finding the boundary at ease just when it was needed most to keep the required run rate in check, and was well supported by South African import Dane van Niekerk, who finished unbeaten on 32 off 22 balls with five fours.

With her 14th and final four Perry brought up Sydney's first win of the tournament and her maiden WBBL ton. In the process she also crossed the 1500-run mark in her WBBL career.

Her latest stunning innings came at the same ground where she made history last year.

Playing England in the inaugural women's day-night Test, Perry made the highest ever score by an Aussie woman in the whites when she compiled 213 not out at North Sydney Oval.

On that occasion she passed the previous best score by an Aussie, which was Karen Rolton's undefeated 209 recorded back in 2001.

And Perry clearly has a penchant for bringing up milestones in style. Just as she smoked a four last night to raise her bat, she lofted Sophie Ecclestone for six in 2017 to bring up her double hundred.